Leibniz

249 Pages·2014·1.5 MB·English

by  Arthur

Leibniz
Classic Thinkers
Daniel E. Flage, Berkeley
J. M. Fritzman, Hegel
Bernard Gert, Hobbes
Dale E. Miller, J. S. Mill
A. J. Pyle, Locke
Andrew Ward, Kant
Leibniz
Richard T. W. Arthur
polity
Copyright © Richard T. W. Arthur 2014
The right of Richard T. W. Arthur to be identified as Author of this Work
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First published in 2014 by Polity Press
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ISBN-13: 978-0-7456-5374-7
ISBN-13: 978-0-7456-5375-4 (pb)
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Contents
Acknowledgements vi
Note on the Text and Translations vii
Abbreviations viii
Chronological Sketch x
1 Introduction 1
2 Logic, Language and the Encyclopaedia Project 29
3 Natural Philosophy and the Science of Life 54
4 Mathematical Philosophy 77
5 The Reform of Metaphysics 99
6 Dynamics: The Physics and Metaphysics of Action 123
7 The Philosophy of Space and Time 142
8 Morals and Politics 166
9 Leibnizian Posterity 190
Notes 203
Select Bibliography 208
Index 216
Acknowledgements
Many people have helped to make this book better than it might
otherwise have been. It is a pleasure to acknowledge Barry Allen,
who co-taught a graduate seminar with me on Deleuze, Spinoza
and Leibniz, and the students in that seminar who read early drafts
of some chapters; and also the students, undergraduate and gradu-
ate, in my course on Leibniz and English Philosophy, for whom the
manuscript was a set text. Their reactions to it and excellent weekly
comments and discussions helped me to frame my treatment of
many points. I also benefited greatly from the comments and sug-
gestions of Ohad Nachtomy and a second (anonymous) reader for
Polity Press, and am much indebted to my sons Alexander and
Thomas Arthur for advice on how to frame chapter 1, to my col-
leagues Stefan Sciaraffa, Violetta Igneski and Stefan Rodde for feed-
back on chapter 8, to Liam Dempsey and David Wright for comments
on the whole draft, to Stephan Meier-Öser for supplying me with
the latest edited versions of some passages from Leibniz’s writings,
and above all to my wife Gabriella Colussi Arthur for her encour-
agement and critical advice. To all of you, and to Emma Hutchin-
son, Pascal Porcheron and everyone at Polity Press, many, many
thanks!
Note on the Text and Translations
Leibniz wrote mostly in Latin, somewhat less in French, and occa-
sionally in German. All translations here are the author’s own trans-
lations from standard editions of Leibniz’s original Latin and French
(except where explicitly noted otherwise). For the convenience of
the reader wishing to see a given passage in fuller context, refer-
ences are also given to available English-language translations
where these exist, e.g. (A VI iii 518/DSR 75).
The titles of Leibniz’s books and papers are all given in English;
for ease of reference, the original-language titles are also given in
the Chronological Sketch.
Abbreviations
A Akademie der Wissenschaften der DDR, ed., G. W. Leibniz,
Sämtliche Schriften und Briefe (Leibniz 1923–); cited by
series, volume and page, e.g. A VI ii 229, etc.
AG Ariew and Garber, eds, G. W. Leibniz, Philosophical Essays
(Leibniz 1989).
AK Akademie der Wissenschaften, ed., Immanuel Kant, Gesa-
mmelte Schriften, ed. (Kant 1910–); cited by volume and
page, e.g. AK viii 138.
AT Adam and Tannery, eds, Oeuvres de Descartes (Descartes
1964–76); cited by volume and page, e.g. AT viii A 71.
C Couturat, ed., Opuscules et fragments inédits de Leibniz
(Leibniz 1903).
CSM Cottingham, Stoothof and Murdoch, eds, Philosophical
Writings of Descartes, vols 1 and 2 (Descartes 1984–5).
CSMK Cottingham, Stoothof, Murdoch and Kenny, eds, Philo-
sophical Writings of Descartes, vol. 3 (Descartes 1991).
D Dutens, ed., G. W. Leibniz, Opera omnia . . . (Leibniz 1768);
cited by volume and page, e.g. D iv 279.
DSR G. W. Leibniz, De Summa Rerum, trans. Parkinson (Leibniz
1992).
GM Gerhardt, ed., Leibnizens Mathematische Schriften (Leibniz
1849–63); cited by volume and page, e.g. GM ii 157, etc.
GP Gerhardt, ed., Die Philosophische Schriften von Gottfried
Wilhelm Leibniz (Leibniz 1875–90); cited by volume and
page, e.g. GP ii 268, etc.
Grua Grua, ed., G. W. Leibniz, Textes inédits (Leibniz 1948).